Chillout, Soulout & Freakout

Jade Dragon Snow Mountain is a most famous tourist spot in Lijiang. You are not consider being at Lijiang if you do not visit this snow mountain. That's what people says but I have different opinion, I will explain further so read on. To get to here: Take a bus at Yuhe Parking Lot near the northern gate of Lijiang Old Down. You can buy the ticket in Tourist Service Center at the northern end of Lanhua Street, opposite Tianyu Hotel. The bus leaves for the Snow Mountain at 8.30am and returns at 4.30pm; the bus fare costs CNY40 per person. Take a taxi / car/ mini-van or carpool together from the downtown area. The distance is around 15 kilometers (10 miles). It takes around 40 minutes. The round-trip charter rate is around CNY 200. Or sign up with a local tour agency at Lijiang Old Town just like I did for CNY400 per pax. Make sure it is not a "shopping tour" which is easily known when they offer you much lower price than I got here. The tour includes, hotel pick up...

Blue Moon Valley actually is an extremely blue river meandering through a lush valley of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. Seen from a distance, it resembles a blue crescent moon inlaid at the foot of the mountain. That's how the place got its beautiful name! However, blue is not the only colour of the river. If it rains, the white mud and limestone rubble at the riverbed will be swirled up, making the water as white as milk. Therefore, local Naxi people name it White Water River (Baishui River). Blue Moon Valley is a popular spot inside the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain Scenic Area, 15 kilometers (9 miles) away from Lijiang Old Town. You can either take a through bus or charter a minibus to get to the Snow Mountain first. Take a through bus at Yuhe Parking Lot near the northern gate of Lijiang Old Down. You can buy the ticket in Tourist Service Center at the northern end of Lanhua Street, opposite Tianyu Hotel. The bus leaves for the Snow Mountain at 8.30pm and returns at 4.30pm; ...

Lijiang Old Town is a big ancient town and Shuhe Ancient Town which is a smaller version of it is located at 4km to the northwest of the Lijiang Old Town, at the foot of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, lies a compact village hidden in the forest, the Shuhe Ancient Town. UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) has listed it as an important component of Lijiang as it is a well-preserved example of a town along the ancient tea route and one of the earliest settlements of the ancestors of Naxi people. It is called 'the hometown of springs'.. To get to here: Daily shuttle buses depart from Lijiang Ancient City to Shuhe Ancient Town, a great convenience for travelers. Visitor also can take a taxi there, which takes about 20 minutes, or they can bike, which takes about 1.5 hours. Take bus 11 to Shuhe Lukou station. Take bus 6 to Shuhe Shangcun Wenmingcun station. *NOTE*: If you entering from the main entrance, there is an entrance fee of CNY...

Nestled at the centre of the Lijiang County of Southwest China’s Yunnan Province, the Lijiang Lashihai Plateau Wetland Nature Reserve was established in 1998 by the Yunnan provincial government to preserve an indispensable wetland habitat. The 65-square-kilometre reserve is home to some 300,000 Naxi and Yi ethnic people. But it becomes more populous during winter – as the reserve turns into a paradise for migratory birds. Lashihai Lake is the main area where birds dwell. Around 140,000 migratory birds spent their winter beside Lashihai Lake. A repertoire of 165 species of birds can be observed in Lashihai.  Riding to experience the Ancient Tea and Horse Road is the other must-try activity to get close to the local special culture. The ancient Tea and Horse Road, similar to the Silk Road, was an important trading route in the southwestern part of China and the horse was a significant form of transport on this route. Different from the tall and big horses on the grassland,...